Picking your team - A guide to the positions

Picking your team can be a lot easier if you know what to look out for.

That said, not all positions in the game are created equal, some have more importance than others, so I will attend to those first.

NB: Key Skills are in order of importance for that player type. Forwards (numbered 1 to 8 should have at least 100kg of weight, if not more.

Number 2 - Hooker

THe hooker is one of the most important positions in the game, he throws in the lineout, and complements your front row when in a scrum. That said, if he can do these two things well, then really it's not to important to have any other skills.

Key Skills : Handling, Technique, Strength

Number 4 & 5: Locks

The locks are similar to the hooker, very important in set piece plays. They are the main guys the hooker throws to, as well as providing most of the drive in the scrum.

Key Skills : Height (at least 195cm +), Strength, Handling, Jumping

Number 9 : Scrum Half

The scrum half handles the ball at most breakdowns, thus provides the team with the platform to build attacking moves off. So a key here is that he has the skills to do so. As well the scrumhalf does a lot of pick and go's, which mean at times he acts like a 9th forward. Kicking is also important as the scrumhalf may try and kick the ball away when under pressure, no matter if he has the skills to go with it or not!

Key Skills: Attack, Handling, Kicking - less extent strength.

Other positions

Number 1 and 3 : Loosehead and Tighthead props.

Very important for the scrum, they provide the foundation so the locks can push. Great props will complement the locks in the scrum.

Key Skills : Weight, Strength, Technique

Number 6 and 7 : Loose Forwards

Not as important in the scrum, they provide pressure on the backline after a movement. They also attend a lot of the rucks with an opportunity to turn the ball over. Can be helpful to have height to help in the lineout.

Key Skills : Technique, Defence, strength

Number 8

This role tends to be an attacking forward, it is suppose to be a guy who can link in with the backline to attack, maybe I play the wrong guy there, as mine doesn't seem to want to be involved unless he grabs the ball of the back of the scrum to dive over for a try. Either way he still provides a similar role to the breakaways in other areas of the field.

Key Skills : Technique, Defence, strength

Number 10 : Flyhalf

Similar to the scrumhalf, he sees a lot of the ball. He provides a link to the rest of the backline, but also can be a guy who will try and bit himself. Vital that he has some kicking as well, as he is quite adapt at having a shot a field goal from time to time.

Key Skills : Attack, Handling, Agility

Number 12 and 13 : Centres

The centres really build off what the scrum and fly half have given them. They are attacking players who need to be able to break the line, and also link with there wingers. Very occasionally they also are required to kick, but it's not important to scout for it.

Key Skills : Attack, Agility, Speed

Number 11 and 14 : Wingers are there to finish off attacking moves. By the time the ball has got to them, hopefully he is racing down the touchline to put the ball over the line. Speed is critical for these players. As well good defence on wingers combined with there speed, see's them very involved when a line break is made against your team. Something to keep in mind.

Key Skills : Speed, Attack, Agility

Number 15: Fullback

A good fullback should play like a flyhalf on the field, injecting himself into the attack when possible. The reality in the match engine is that he doesn't try to do this. That said, he will field a lot of kicks in general play, and also be required to kick himself from time to time. As a fullback, he is also there to stop a play when the line has been broken against your team.

Hmm, I don't neccesarily agree with all of those - but it all depends on how you want to play the game I guess! Different tactics require slightly different emphasis on certain skills in some positions.

Also, regarding the ask Hippo thread, my advice is to sift through them carefully. All of his answers are useful, and most of them are him passing on the knowledge he gained when he was involved in the behind-the-scenes stuff, so if he says 'this currently has no effect on the match engine' for example, you can be pretty certain that's the case. However, some things are his own opinions and strategies, and observations he's made just from watching the games - just like the rest of us - so don't be afraid to do some things differently to him. There's more than one way to skin a cat

woko wrote:I agree with most of it but with some additions like I think it's helpful for a Fullback to have jumping to help with up and unders.

I like him to have speed to ensure he gets to whoever's broken the line. Kicking is important, but in my experience not nearly as much as it is to a FB in real life? My fullback doesn't seem to drop too many, so I see handling there as like it is for lock - it just needs to be up to an acceptable level where their handling errors per match are low/zero.

Also the attacking stats such as attack and agility are useful as the fullback does seem to come into the attacking line.

But as with most things, it depends what your emphasis is - in RL there are some fullbacks with great boots, others that are great counterattackers

anubiscaller wrote:Agreeing with Rhodri: FBs in BR require far less kicking than they do in RL, so keep that in mind.

I'm wondering if in the Southern Hemisphere they arrange their centres differently? I like a powerful OC, but it seems like the match engine has the OC kicking more than the IC.

To be fair, the fullbacks kick more now than they used to in BR. I remember at first I got a fullback with fairly good kicking for that purpose, and was disapointed he didn't use the boot more, but now it's coming in handy a little more.

I think the ME used to have the outside centre kicking more, but they changed it; however I think a player in the backline with high kicking is still more likely to kick it than one with poor kicking(not a bad thing IMO!) so in that case an OC might still kick a lot.

anubiscaller wrote:Agreeing with Rhodri: FBs in BR require far less kicking than they do in RL, so keep that in mind.

I'm wondering if in the Southern Hemisphere they arrange their centres differently? I like a powerful OC, but it seems like the match engine has the OC kicking more than the IC.

... I think the ME used to have the outside centre kicking more, but they changed it; however I think a player in the backline with high kicking is still more likely to kick it than one with poor kicking(not a bad thing IMO!) so in that case an OC might still kick a lot.

- I agree, I think the IC/OC is slightly switched around to how we would traditionally play them. I think though that with kicking, in recent ME changes, it depends on their kicking skill level - I almost certain that in one of Hippos replies he has said that he does not train kicking, to keep the ammount of on-field kicking down, I could be wrong there. Related to this that is also why some say No.8s jump more/less than 6 or 7s etc, becuase the throws are linked to jumping skills.

rfs wrote:Related to this that is also why some say No.8s jump more/less than 6 or 7s etc, becuase the throws are linked to jumping skills.

Really? I always seem to lose lineouts that go to my backrow

Personally I think there's too many, lessens the impact of good locks and makes the backrow more like lock-rejects. The backrow's job seems a little hazy sometimes in BR in general; I've never really noticed a backrow gaining more turnovers through having better technique or an openside getting to the breakdown first because of their speed(perhaps these just aren't reflected in the commentary). The main times they get mentioned seem to be taking the ball forward, missing tackles or claiming lineouts.

It's difficult to tell from the match engine whether there's a lot of difference between the three back rowers, which is a pity, given how pivotal they are in RL. I still go with the faster, more attacking guy at open-side, just in case

I've read conflicting reports on who it is important to be the tallest (i.e. catches the most "over throws" in lineouts). Some say No.6 , some say No.7, some even say it doesn't matter as the tallest will automatically be targeted just as the best kicking player tends to kick the most (which is why some folk like hippop like to have an OH with low kicking ability so they dont kick so much).

I personally ain't noticed a massive difference between any of these but then I ain't really looked into it yet!

I have been going for 190-199 in the backrow, but I have come up against other teams with smaller. I tend to use taller props as well, but if I am up against a smaller front row (170-185), I pick my pick a smaller. I try an pick taller for the lifting, but do not lose sight of the need for strength, weight and speed from the scrum.

I'm in a bit of a lock crisis. I've got very few players with decent strength, and so those who are mainly end up playing at in the front row or No. 8. I've got one lock, who's 197 cm, has "Admirable" for handeling and jumping, but only has a "Limited" for strength. He's my best jumper, and second-best handler. Any suggestions?

I think if he is that much better than your other options you really need to play him at 4 and take the hit in the scrums. Get a workhorse alongside him to make up for it and train up his strength. Swings and roundabouts really.

I'm not sure if I agree mate, in RL it would be a must, get a monster to compensate for a technical pansy, but on the game I think the technical pansy would just be a weakness in the scrum, and the monster a weakness in the lineout, I think it's prob best to get an all rounder, and try to either train or ditch the weaker guy.

Oj121, I see that you have been using some stars in the youth academy lately but not for a few weeks. If you have saved some up, promote a player this week and use at least 20, preferably 30 stars. The new recruit will be eligible for the S18 U20 Masterplan.

I will have 24 stars to use on monday so will look at promoting then if you want. Ideally id like to wait until week 5 as there is a guy in my youth tearing it up and he turns 17 then. Is that ok or doesit have to be 'now'?